This disclosure relates to the process of manufacturing hollow seamless handles made of glass reinforced fibre material and the handles made thereby.
Handles, such as those used in rail or bus or other transportation applications, for passengers to grasp, are traditionally made in metal or are nylon based.
Fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) handles typically have to be made with a core inside as it is difficult to process and retain the shape of the handle without a core. Such handles are therefore heavier and difficult to process. Use of solid retained cores is especially difficult for complex 3D shapes, wherein the core has also to be manufactured to match the profile of the desired geometry, requiring an extra operation, time & cost.
Typically FRP industry has used special braided fibres for preparing any hollow sections. This braided fibre is then ‘put onto’ a mandrel to form the shape & wet out with resin. The facility to produce braided fibre is limited to a few manufacturers and needs a special type of machinery. Further, this material is only available in certain standard diameters and weight. This would limit the product thickness that can be offered and reduce the weight benefits that go along with the end product.
It is desirable to find a better way to make such handles in a variety of shapes.